In January 2009 I had started my final semester of college. My husband had lost his job the same month due to economic downsizing. Our oldest son was a senior in high school, and our youngest son was a freshman in high school, so we had several extracurricular activities on the calendar.
My full-time day job as a family childcare provider was our sole source of income.
In between work, family, church obligations, social engagements, homework assignments, I tried to keep writing. I had been writing a women’s fiction novel, as well as a romance novel in order to find my niche and my voice.
Suffice it to say–I was overwhelmed.
God told me to stop writing for six months.
Six months, God?
Six months.
So I set my fiction writing aside to focus on academic papers and final projects.
When the ACFW Genesis contest opened for entries that year, I asked God if I could enter. He gave me the go ahead, so I reworked the opening scene to the romance novel I had been working on for years and years and years. I submitted my entry, then didn’t think about it (much) until I received a call from Jim Rubart, notifying me that my entry had finaled in the short contemporary romance category.
That final was my open door to my publishing career as it garnered the attention of my dream agent and publisher. Two years later, that entry became my debut novel, Lakeside Reunion.
I truly believe God had honored my obedience when He asked me to quit writing that January so I could focus on the other more pressing priorities in my life.
The seasons in our lives evolve and change. Some of you may be students, wives, mothers, parental caregivers. Our writing time may be eaten up by other demands. When we try to do it all, we end up frustrated, exhausted and burned out, unable to give back to anyone.
The best way to determine if this is the right writing season for you is to determine your priorities:
- Are you dealing with a health issue that impacts your quality of life?
- Do you have young children at home?
- Are you working a demanding job (in addition to motherhood)?
- Are you a student?
- Are you caring for aging parents? Or maybe you’re part of the sandwich generation–caring for children and parents.
If you’ve said yes to any of these, then maybe you need to spend some time with God and review your daily schedule. If writing time continues to get crowded out by other demands, then ask God if this is the right season for you, or if you need to take a writing break.
Just remember–like the changing seasons in nature, our lives evolve and change. What may feel like a season of frozen tundra will melt away as regrowth and sunshine emerge. What may seem like trials of blistering heat will give away to a season of harvest. The dry season gives away to rain, and hope will renew your spirits….and your writing.
Comments 1
Great post. And I can relate.
Two years ago, while I was in the midst of playing with three great story ideas, God said, “Stop.”
My response: What? You can’t be serious! I want to do this!
His reason for stopping was clear—and it wasn’t anything on your priorities list. I don’t have a job, kids at home, or parents to worry about.
It was all about me. And my wrong motives for writing.
I had fallen into the “performance” trap. The trap that screams for validation, for approval, for attention. The trap that compares and gets envious. The trap that strives to please everyone.
The trap that excludes God from the beautiful journey of writing.
That same trap also sucks the joy and delight out of storytelling.
A few months ago, God finally gave me the nod to re-enter the writing world. I’m proceeding cautiously, still a bit fearful of falling into the old trap. But with each small step I’m rediscovering the exciting adventure of writing with Him. For Him. Only.
It feels like Spring. A season for new beginnings. A season for writing!